Stranger
by xxSaphireBluexx
Summary: He's changing, and not for the better. His sweet words have been replaced with harsh, vicious ones. Ever since he proposed to her, Natsu Dragneel has been turning into a cold hearted man. How will Lucy Heartfilia cope with the pain being sent her way? Rated T for language.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail!**

**Yes I know, I have a problem writing another story despite writing so much already. Honestly, I was just talking about GrayLu to some awesome people on this site then...badda boom- The want to write a GrayLu. Then I listened to Stranger by Hilary Duff (insert disclaimer here) and that's how this story is born.**

**A huge special thanks to my talented beta, _leoslady4ever_. Can I just take a moment to completely applaud her story Shattered Dreams and New Beginnings. Like, gosh, SOOO good- along with just about everything else she writes!  
**

**Anywho, this story is T rated so just turn your heads away if you were craving a lemon; it ain't happening. And there is no intense blood and gore that will make this M rated. I may heavily imply M rated stuff (I'm not sure) but I won't write it in here. **

**And now, here's my story! Thanks for reviewing, favoriting, following and reading. It means so much to me and I love you to the moon and back.  
xoxox xxSaphireBluexx**

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**Prologue**

* * *

_Nobody believes me when I tell them that you're out of your mind..._

* * *

I rubbed the temples of my head, obviously stressed at what had just happened. Just another day I suppose. I mean, my day wouldn't be completely without a lovely fight with my oh so charming fiancé Natsu.

Sometimes I couldn't understand where I went wrong. He wasn't always like this though. He used to be a great boyfriend—the best even. He knew just what to do and how to make me happy. I was in love with him. I loved how he treated me.

I adored the fact that he would always kiss me awake. In my opinion, it was the most romantic thing ever. I mean, morning breath is gross, but it gave me the impression that his day would only start off with a taste of my lips.

Natsu Dragneel. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't still in love with him. He really does mean so much to me. It's the only reason that makes sense to me as to why I would still stay with him. After spending six years of your life with someone, there's no way you can not love them.

He was my high school sweetheart. When I say we've been together since the first day, I'm not kidding. I moved into the house next to him the summer before the ninth grade and over that summer, he managed to get me to go on a few dates with him.

After those dates, I felt myself starting to fall for the reckless, young boy. At the end of summer, Natsu and I became official, so literally, since the first day of the ninth grade, we were together. We've been stuck together like that ever since.

After high school, I ended up moving in with him. I mean, our relationship was definitely ready for the next step. It was great at first too. We were genuinely happy. We went to college. We cooked. We cleaned. We made love. We acted like we were practically married.

The best thing about Natsu was his sense of humor. Whenever I was down, he knew the exact words to cheer me up and make me feel better. In all honesty, I think that's why I fell in love with Natsu to the extent that I did. He had this magical ability to make my lips curve upwards into a smile.

But now Natsu seems bitter. He doesn't want to do anything with me. He's rude and always grumpy. He tells no jokes. He disappears for hours at a time. The most painful thing, above all was the look in his eyes. He doesn't look at me the same anymore. He used to have this warm and gentle look in his eyes. When we made eye contact, his eyes comforted me.

But that's all in the past now because Natsu doesn't have that look anymore. His eyes are cold. They hold no emotion. They don't tell me tales of the depths of the feelings Natsu has for me. His eyes don't tell me that they love me anymore.

If he didn't love me anymore, he wouldn't still be here right? It makes no sense to waste your time with someone you don't love. That's why I hold onto Natsu. Because I love him with every breath in my body. Because my heart yearns for him. My eyes beg for his toothy grin. My arms desire to be wrapped in his embrace. And my ears, they plead for those three words; the three words he hasn't said to me in ages: I love you.

I know that the reality of the situation is that Natsu, my Natsu is gone. And this Natsu, the one in front of me. The one who dared raise his arms at me. This Natsu, is a Stranger. To think this was the same Natsu as the man who proposed to me three months ago.

* * *

_...Nobody believes me when I tell them that there's so much you hide..._

* * *

**So as you know, this is the prologue for a GrayLu. I'm not entirely sure when I will post the next chapter as I am yet to fit it into my schedule, but I did post this for you all to read! Well, Enjoy.**


	2. Chapter 1: Introduction

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

**Ok, so I think I messed up with this chapter since, I know I posted the right chapter, but I was changing something really tiny up, and it turns out I ended up posting a chapter for a completely different story...how embarrassing.**

**I'm also really sorry for the extra email. I realize could have just replaced the chapter but when I saw the wrong chapter posted, I panicked. I messed up :(. Don't hate me though. **

**Gotta thank my beta, _leoslady4ever_ for just being the awesomest beta ever! Go read her stories!**

**And, also, I want to warn you that this story will have a fair amount of NaLu. Enjoy!**

**Thanks for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting. It means so much to me and I love you to the moon and back  
xoxox xxSaphireBluexx**

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**Chapter 1: Introduction**

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_...You treat me like a queen when we go out...__  
_

* * *

I woke up to the warmth of his arms wrapped around me. Breathing in his natural scent of burning firewood and knew it was him. Snuggling closer to him, I buried my head in his chest, taking in his intoxicating heat to keep me warm.

Everything from the way he held me to the way he spoke to me gave me the desire to stay here, in his arms for as long as I lived. I could stay engulfed in his arms for all of eternity and it still wouldn't be enough.

I remained quiet, cuddling up with the man I loved just to savor the moment. Besides, I was waiting for my morning kiss that he always gave so instead of getting up to shower, I stayed there, closing my eyes and pretending to be asleep.

I knew Natsu was out late but he never starts off his day without giving me a kiss. He knew I had work at 10, so he would definitely wake before then.

I reached over at the night table, telling myself I would go get ready at exactly 8:30. It was 8:15 now, so Natsu had exactly 15 minutes.

I kept myself to my thoughts, allowing them to let time pass. I was most worried about where exactly he was at night. He wasn't there when I got home from work, and I saw a note saying _Getting beers with the boys_.

What I didn't expect was for him to be gone until 2 a.m. by which I just gave up in waiting. I mean, if Natsu was going to just disappear like that, then maybe he didn't deserve his morning kiss. Although, the kiss is something I have grown accustomed to. For the past two years I've been living with him, he had always given me the kiss.

To say I was worried about him was an understatement. I spent the entire night, paranoid that something may have happened to him. Luckily he was ok. Although I still wondered why he had been gone for such a long time. Had I done something wrong?

It might just be his way of coping with suddenly becoming laid off at his workplace. Despite knowing he will find a new job in no time, it was easy to see that Natsu was stressed. Carpenters were quite high in demand in New York, so there is no way Natsu wouldn't find a job.

"Natsu," I said quietly in concern for him. I didn't realize that I had actually made an audible sound. He slightly groaned and turned the other side. When I got up and looked at him, I realized he was still asleep.

I sighed inwardly, as I got out of bed to take a shower. Once I was cleaned, I got dressed, wearing a royal blue blazer with a black skirt. Under the blazer, I wore a black dress shirt. My makeup was done to be very light and simple and I straightened my hair. Looking in the mirror, I realized that despite wearing concealer, the dark circles under my eyes were still visible.

Once I walked out of the washroom, I took a look at Natsu to notice he was still sleeping. I frowned, as I reached into my closet to take out my royal blue heels. I left the bedroom to go to the kitchen and cook something. Glancing at my phone I realized I had no time to actually cook a proper meal. I quickly cut a bagel in half and popped it in the toaster. While it was getting ready, I quickly took out some cream cheese and margarine.

Once the toaster popped the bagel out, I took it and spread margarine on one side and cream cheese on the other. I placed one atop of the other, and grabbing my regular, black purse I left for work.

It was just another normal day in New York City. Since the traffic was horrible, and there is literally no parking place around where I work, I took the cab every day.

I ran to a main street, raising my hand, hoping someone would stop. All these yellow cabs were occupied, just my luck.

"Taxi!" I yelled at a few of the cabs, hoping they would stop. It was 8:15 and if I didn't find a cab in 15 minutes, I would definitely be late, and my boss Laxus Dreyar would be sure to kill me. The cabs would either just drive past me or they were occupied. Today was not my day. First, I missed my morning kiss from Natsu, now I can't fucking find a ride to work.

"Damn it, TAXI!" I yelled as loud as I could. Finally, a taxi stopped for me so I rushed towards it only to meet a handsome man with raven hair and dark eyes.

Normally, I wouldn't mind seeing such a delectable young man, but this was an exception. He was stepping into _my_ cab.

"Um, excuse me, I believe this taxi stopped for me," I glared at him.

"Really, because I'm certain it stopped in front of me, so I think it would be mine," He replied as he ran his hands through his shiny, spiky hair.

"I think _not._ Look, I have to get to work in," I glanced at my phone to see the time, "About thirty minutes so why don't you be a gentleman and let me take the cab." I gave him an obvious forced smile, to let him know he was getting on my nerves.

"Oh what a coincidence, I need to be at work in half an hour too, so I think I need this ride just as much as you do," he replied, slowly unbuttoning his shirt.

"What are you doing? Stop stripping!" I squealed in disgust.

"Why don't you two split the ca—" we heard the taxi driver say but he was cut off.

"SHUT UP!" Both of us yelled in unison. This guy was really getting on my nerves.

"I. Have. To. Get. To. Work." I said spacing out my words, while giving him a harsh glare.

"Well. So. Do. I." he replied, speaking in the same manner I did.

"Are you mocking me?" I replied, squinting my eyes.

"So what if I am?" He smirked at me.

"Look, I have an idea," the sexy-yet-oh-so-annoying-smart-ass said. "Why don't we split the ride? Where are you going?"

Although this guy was completely hot, I was in a relationship and there's no way I would _ever_ cheat on Natsu. I mean, how could I? He makes me feel like the happiest girl alive. I mean, maybe if Natsu wasn't in the picture, I would give him a chance. It didn't matter though, because my feelings for Natsu were always going to be relevant.

"Dreyar Enterprises on 34 14th street," I replied, rolling my eyes.

"And I work at Fairy Tail Corporations, right next to there, so how about it? Since we're splitting the ride, it'll be half the cost," he replied, reasonably.

Half the cost. Ever since Natsu lost his job I felt like all the at home expenses were on me. If this was half the cost, I could use the money and put it on my rent. "You've got yourself a deal," I smiled.

"Finally," the taxi driver said.

He did not just, "Excuse me," I roared- something I learned from Natsu.

"Nothing, nothing," he said.

"So, what do you do?" the hottie beside me asked.

"I'm an accountant," I replied, trying not to sound flustered. Gosh, I feel like I'm acting like some sort of fan girl. So embarrassing.

"Wow, me too! So you work Mondays to Fridays, 10-6?" he asked me.

"Don't all accountants?" I answered with a chuckle.

"I'm Gray Fullbuster," he said, holding his hand out to shake.

I took his hand while saying, "Lucy Heartfilia."

"It's great meeting you," he replied. Gray Fullbuster was quite difficult to read, if I do say so myself. Normally, I could pinpoint the intentions of the person, but he's different. I mean, I can tell he genuinely thinks it's great meeting me but, is it as a friend or because of my sexy bod'?

"Same could be said about you," I raised an eyebrow trying to hold my poker face.

"Do you always take the cab?' I asked, hoping for a yes. If he said yes, then that meant I could split it with him every day! More money in my pocket_._

"Yes, I do," he replied as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Perhaps we should take the cab together?"

"I don't mind," he shrugged. Score! Score! Score! More money in my bank! This is a good day.

"Great!" I squealed, a little too excitedly.

He chuckled at my childish actions.

"Perhaps you should give me your number so we can arrange when to meet up later today and tomorrow?" he asked me. Again, is he trying to make a move on me or is what he saying what he meant? Gray! Come on, why can't I read you.

"Oh for sure," I replied and then stated my cell phone number. "Why don't you text me your number so that when you call or message me, I'll know it's you."

He took out his phone and tapped onto the screen. Seconds later I heard a beep from my phone. "Oh, I wonder who that could be," I asked playfully.

"I have no idea. Perhaps you should check," he chuckled a deep, sexy chuckle.

I took out my phone, still laughing. Once I saw the text I said, "Oh, it's someone who calls themselves Gray. But I don't know a Gray."

"Really now? Well whoever he is, he must be an attractive man," he replied with a smirk evident on his face.

"Oh, I'm not too sure. He might just be a really cocky person," when I glanced at him, I noticed the first few buttons of his shirt were undone. I took a deep breath before saying , "Who must love to strip."

"If the person beside this Gray likes what she sees then is there really a problem?" He grinned.

His personality was so different from Natsu. Although both boys are quite egotistical, Gray is just someone I can tease more as opposed to joking around with Natsu. Gray's refreshing. It's like a breath of fresh air compared to what I'm use to.

"34 14th street," the cab driver announced, "Your total is $34.50."

I took out my wallet and handed the cab driver a $20 bill. I saw that Gray did the same. "You can keep the change," I told him as I walked out of the taxi.

"I'll see you later?" I questioned, despite knowing the answer.

"I'll see you later," he assured me.

I walked into the office and greeted the secretary, Mirajane. She had a large smile on her face, "Look here," she giggled, pointing to the bouquet of fruits.

"Looks like someone got edible arrangements," she said.

"Lucky them," I replied, with envy.

"Oh let's see who the card says it's for. 'To Lucy'," Mirajane gushed, "'From Natsu.'"

"Natsu brought these?" I asked as a blush rose to my cheeks. I thought he was mad at me, but looks like I was wrong.

I took the bouquet of melons, grapes, strawberries and pineapples. I never knew Natsu cared about me so much. I glanced down at the card, clearly blushing.

_Happy six year anniversary_.

Natsu. You idiot. To think I doubted you for even a second. I definitely had to give him a night he wouldn't forget. This was beyond sweet.

I took a seat at my desk and spent my day making balance sheet and income statements for the company. I know it sounds like a drag but it's honestly so much fun. I enjoy seeing the value we have in assets and liabilities. I love seeing that our company is doing a good job with exactly what we are.

Actually, it's numbers on a whole that intrigues me. I find that when I compare previous months' assets and liabilities to this month I can predict the next month. The best feeling is being right about the prediction. Normally my day-to-day predictions aren't exactly correct but when it comes to the monthly ones, I am almost always spot on.

When the clock hit 12, I went out for my lunch break. I walked out into the lobby to see Mira on the phone. "Want anything?" I mouthed to her.

When she shook her head no, I walked outside the building. Once I was outside, I saw a head of salmon hair. Natsu. What was he doing here?

Regardless his reasoning, I felt my feet take a flight to him to hold him into an embrace. "Thanks," I blushed at him, thinking of the notion he did today.

"I didn't get my morning kiss," he whined.

"Oh, Natsu," I laughed, as I pressed my lips onto his, still smiling. I felt his lips curve upwards as his hands gripped my waist, holding me tight.

The thing with our relationship was that regardless why we may fight, or no matter how late the other has been out, we are still drawn to each other like magnets that can't get enough of each other. My attraction to Natsu will never fade, no matter what.

He pulled away from the kiss and got down onto one knee. There was no way he was planning to… "Luce," he began. His onyx eyes pierced deeply into my brown ones.

"There is no other way I would rather spend my life. You honestly mean so much to me and I know we already moved in together and stuff but I know how much this means to you so Luce," his hands went into his pockets. When they came out, he held a tiny red box. He opened it up to say, "Marry me."

I felt my eyes well up with tears. I was overjoyed. This whole time I was worried that Natsu was starting to fall out of love with me. I was overwhelmed with shock. The tears started to fall down my cheeks.

"Luce, don't cry. Was my proposal that bad?" he teased.

"Yes Natsu," I managed to cough out between my tears of joy.

"It was bad? Then look up in the sky," he chuckled. I meant yes to his _marry me_ question but if there was more then I'll gladly take it.

I looked up to see a blimp with a screen. On the screen came up a slide show of Natsu and I, playing our song. Pictures of us flashed onto the screen. At this point, my eyes cascaded with tears. Dozens of pictures showed up, all starting from when we first got together. It went in chronological order.

I looked down at Natsu, who was still on his knees. His eyes were glued onto me, like he was observing my reaction. Once the last picture came up, words appeared in the center of the blimp.

_Will you marry me?_

And under it, in tiny letters and brackets:

_(Here's where you say yes, Luce)._

"Yes, stupid. I'll marry you," I responded, still crying.

And during that moment, I thought I was the luckiest woman alive, to have someone who loves me like Natsu does. Little did I know that he would change beyond belief.

* * *

_...Wanna show everyone what our love's about..._

* * *

**I decided to make a new schedule, to accommodate with these stories. You see, if I could, I would update everyday but I just can't. It is a tad unreasonable for me to do that. I mean, I want to give you guys some good quality stories and there is no way I'll ever be able to do that if I update daily. So, Here I am, creating a new schedule that will change as my pull for a story changes.**

**Every ****_Saturday_**** Erisse or me will be updating Beauty and a Beat.  
Every other _Friday_**** I will be updating Strictly Business.  
Every other _Tuesday_**** I will be updating The New Kid.  
Every ****_Sunday_**** I will be updating Voice of an Angel.  
Every other _Monday_**** I will be updating Stranger.  
Every other _Thurs_****_day _****I will be updating Darkness Prevails.**

**So for the first cycle, I will update Stranger and Strictly Business, in addition to my Voice of an Angel and Beauty and a Beat.  
During the second cycle, I'll update Darkness Prevails and The New Kid in addition to Voice of an Angel and Beauty and a Beat.**

**I hope you all enjoy my stories and don't mind that I may be updating some stories later! I just have to make sure I can balance story writing with school in September and worK.**

**So yeah...ENJOY!**


	3. Chapter 2: Perfect?

**Disclaimer: I am not the brilliant mastermind who made Fairy Tail, sorry. **

**Ehhh...I love writing this story. Go GrayLu! Honestly, you know those stories you end up writing before you say it's due? Yeah, that's this story :P.**

**For those of you who got the chapter 2 email thing, it was a total accident! As I said last chapter, I was changing something up for the previous chapter (it's really small and some time last week) and I noticed that I posted the wrong chapter (last night) for who knows how long. I panicked and deleted the chapter instead of just replacing it like a normal person would do. Again, sorry about last night's extra email. It will never happen again, my lovelies. Please forgive me!**

**Who has the best beta ever? I do! I do! I do! I do! I gotta say, _leoslady4ever_ is the awesomest. I love her sooo much so be a dear and go show her some love because she deserves all the love you can give! She also posted a really good first chapter to a GrayLu. I know GrayLu fans would be happy about that. Check out Come Wake Me Up by her! Yes...I _always_ advertise her amazing work but it's because she's just that awesome. **

_**Ermmm... again, I will warn you, there will be a fair bit of NaLu in this story but keep in mind, it is listed as GrayLu. Gray-Lucy.  
**_

**_Random Saphire Fact: _Ok, so I have this owl obsession and so when I saw an owl candle holder...I literally _had_ to buy it!**

**And you lovelies! Thanks for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting! It means so much to me and honestly, I love you to the moon and back! (HAAH BEAT THAT!)  
xoxox xxSaphireBluexx**

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**Chapter 2: Perfect?**

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_...All wrapped up in me whenever there is a crowd..._

* * *

Nothing could make my day any better. What with the completely incredible proposal Natsu gave me and the promotion Laxus offered. He said that the company wanted to make a joined relationship with Fairy Tail Corporation. Laxus said that both companies would be taking their top accountants to ensure that the new business proposal didn't cause any major expenses.

With the promotion came even more money. My bank account will be in such a happy place. Not to mention that now I have to pay only half of my travelling costs. I just love this day.

I took out my phone, upon hearing a beep. Looking down at it I saw a text from Gray.

_I'm off work. Meet you out on the main intersection._

Doing as the text asked, I walked out to meet with Gray.

"Hello," He said in a cheerful manner with a smile glued on his face. Boy was he in a good mood.

"Hello yourself," I replied, returning his smile. I would be smiling for days!

"Time to hail a cab," Gray replied, holding his hand up at the yellow car that drove down the road. Surprisingly, on his first try, he got it to stop. If only I could be that lucky.

Gray opened the door for me, and waited for me to enter before he climbed in. I was staring at the stone that was now found on my left hand. It shined so bright. The simple white gold band wrapped around my finger and the centerpiece was a circle. With every motion my hand made, it seemed like it would sparkle. What a beautiful ring.

"Aren't you in a good mood,_ Luce_," Gray teased.

"Luce? Where'd you hear that?" I stared at him surprised.

"I think we have the same lunch break. It's hard to miss a blimp in the air. Cute proposal, though your fiancé needs to dye his hair. Pink isn't very masculine," Gray chuckled to himself.

"His hair is not pink! It's salmon," I defended, clearly insulted by what Gray had said.

"Relax _Luce_," Gray emphasized my nickname in a mocking tone.

"Do you have a problem with what Natsu calls me?" Lucy groaned out loud.

"So that's his name," Gray mused, smiling.

"So what has you so cheerful?" I asked Gray, noticing that he never stopped smiling.

"A promotion. Apparently I will be working with the top accountant of Dreyar Enterprises to help our companies make financially fit decisions when they make the Fairy Dreyar Hotel. It's supposed to give the Plaza major competition according to my boss," Gray ran his hands through his hair as he leaned back into his seat.

"And the top accountant just so happens to be named Lucy Heartfilia," I replied, glancing at the reaction on his face. His eyes shot open.

"Well, I guess you'll be seeing more of me," Gray laughed. He really has a sexy laugh, I thought as I felt a fluttering in my stomach.

I guess I had one of those high school girl crushes on Gray, always admiring how incredibly attractive he was. There wasn't anything wrong with that though, since I would never get with him. I was too damn crazy about Natsu to as much as touch another guy.

"Yes, unfortunately I will be seeing more of a stripper," I replied when I noticed that his shirt was fully unbuttoned.

"It's just hot. I hate the summer heat," Gray complained, as he pulled down the window of the cab.

"You're crazy," I replied, shaking my head as I quickly glanced at his shirtless body. Damn, he looked good. Those abs…

_Bad Lucy! Natsu has a body just as sexy!_ I scolded myself. One would think I was crazy if I said that out loud. I shook my head again. "Get dressed, will you?" I replied, feeling slightly flustered.

"Why? Are you scared that you like what you see?" Gray teased me.

"Natsu is just as sexy as you," I scowled.

"So, you're admitting I'm sexy? he goaded me. What the…

"S-shut up," I stuttered. This is so embarrassing.

"Guess that's a yes. Don't worry. I respect your relationship with Natsu. Even if he has girly pink hair," Gray replied, sincerely. At least I knew that he wasn't making any moves. He must be a flirt by nature.

"Your total comes to $37.75," the cab driver told us. Both Gray and I took out a twenty and handed it to the cab driver. I walked home, completely happy.

Despite how happy I was, there was still one lingering thought in my head. Why was Natsu out so late last night?

I knew that most girls would assume their boyfriend was cheating on them, but I knew it wasn't in Natsu's nature to cheat on me. He's such a caring person and absolutely despises people who put women through so much pain. If he hated people like that, then there was no way he would ever cause me that much pain. I would always trust Natsu. He never gave me reason not to.

I placed my key into the door, opening it up. The moment the door opened, my nose met up with an truly delicious scent. I walked towards the dining room to see Alfredo Pesto pasta with grilled chicken. Beside the pasta was steamed vegetables. Candles and a bottle of wine were set up on the middle of the table. There were two plates on each end of their circular shaped table.

I couldn't believe Natsu had went to such lengths to do all this for me. He must have heard me entering because I felt warm arms wrap around me tightly. Kisses were planted onto my neck. I turned around, and held Natsu in an embrace.

"I love you so much," he whispered into my ear, still holding me between his arms.

"I love you too," I replied, holding him tightly. I'm so happy. This right here, this was how I was planning to spend my life: _love filled_.

Everything Natsu ever did was for me and I would be a fool to ever let that go. I would never let Natsu go, not in a million years.

"Let's eat," he told me, his eyes filled with glee. Natsu was always excited to eat, but when his eyes had that look, I knew he spent countless hours cooking the meal.

* * *

Everything about the night was perfect. The proposal. The promotion. The meal. The sex. It was all perfect. The happiness I felt during this exact moment was all thanks to Natsu. _My_ Natsu. Everything about him made me happy.

I cuddled closer to him, hugging him tightly. I wasn't exactly ready to sleep, despite knowing that I should, considering I had work tomorrow.

Then the thought rang into my head again: why was Natsu out so late last night? I pulled away from Natsu and sat up.

"Luce, what's wrong?" Natsu asked as he looked up to me. His eyes were filled with so much concern that it almost made me feel guilty to ask.

_Almost. _"Where were you last night?" I asked, my voice sounding slightly cold.

"Come on, Luce. Wasn't everything I did today enough to prove to you that I'm loyal," His voice sounded hurt.

"No, I know you're loyal. I'm just curious..." My voice trailed off.

"The note I wrote said out for beer with the boys," he sounded angry. Why in Liberty's name was he getting so defensive?

His defensive nature made me suspicious. "Where. Were. You?" I asked coldly, spacing out my words while glaring at him.

"Drinking with the boys," Natsu stuck to his story.

"Which boys?" I asked, feeling infuriated.

"Elfman, Gajeel and Bacchus," Natsu responded.

"So you were out until after 2:00 a.m. with them?" I interrogated him, still suspicious.

"Y-ye...it was that late?" Natsu stuttered before realizing what he did. "Shit, Luce. I'm sorry," he placed his hand on my shoulder.

I pushed it off. "Now tell me the truth. Where were you and what were you doing?" He really didn't think he would calm me down by just saying sorry. You don't get so defensive if you had nothing to hide.

Natsu sighed deeply, looking defeated. "I did originally go to the bar. I just wanted to drink a bit. I was pissed off about losing my job. This shit is stressful. So I called the boys and drank a bit with them. T-then, I saw Lisanna." He paused.

I stared at him for a long time. He better not say he was out with Lisanna the whole fucking night? You just don't pull that shit when you're in a supposedly serious relationship. I swear...

"And she was crying. A-and you know, LiLi is my best friend. She has been ever since I was six. S-so I asked her what was wrong, and she just kept crying. And I would have left her alone except, there were a few guys who seemed to want to..." he gulped. "Get in her pants."

He fell silent. Ok so he protected Lisanna and that was it, right? He didn't spend the whole night with her.

"I hailed her a cab, a-and she begged me to come with her. She said she needed someone to talk to. I couldn't just leave her in that condition! I've never seen Lisanna so upset. I went home with her and... she just asked for a Dragneel therapy session. S-she just got off a rough break up. You see, her boyfriend cheated on her and Lisanna caught them in the act. Lucy, she was completely broken! I couldn't just leave her alone. I was scared...that if I did...s-she would...h-hurt herself."

The silence reigned between us. I knew his reasoning and I understood it. It's just that, I'm not sure it's ok for Natsu to do that. It felt wrong for Natsu to stay at someone's place until late night, comforting her. And I knew for a fact Lisanna would have taken away her life. She was so attached to her boyfriend. She was just about as attached as I was. It's just that the notion felt so wrong.

"Lucy, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't want to worry you," Natsu stared at me with pleading eyes. He really wanted my forgiveness and I wanted to forgive him.

" J-Just don't hide things from me. You know how much I hate that kind of stuff," I told Natsu as I turned away from him to lay down.

I spent that whole night, pretending to sleep. For some reason, in the pit of my stomach, I had a bad feeling. It didn't tell me Natsu was lying. No, he was telling the truth. I just had a bad feeling about...the future.

* * *

_...But when no one's around..._

* * *

**LOL, it's always Lisanna, isn't it? Don't worry, I have a surprise for you in a few chapters :P**

**Baddam! Baddam! Boom! :) Did you lllllike it? (insert Happy's voice here) If you did, then stay tuned! I'll be back with another update in two weeks! Until then, please support my other stories ;).**


	4. Chapter 3: Connection

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

**This chapter was...idk. Fun. Awesome. Enjoyable. What I tried to show here was additional chemistry between our the ship. I'll explain at the end of the chapter.**

**A huge special thanks to the bestest beta in the history of best, _leoslady4ever_! She is the definition of Fantabulous! Love her to the anime soaring skies and back!**

**And You all. I love you to the moon and back! Thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting and following!  
xoxox xxSaphireBluexx**

* * *

_...There's no kindness in your eyes..._

* * *

**Chapter 3: Connection**

* * *

To say I had a good morning was an understatement. I mean, the fact that Natsu and I had our morning kiss that turned into erm…well morning sex really made me feel good. But to add to that, Gray managed to get a cab _on the first try __**again**_. How did he manage that? The hottie with a body made it look easy. To say I envied his ability to do that was an understatement. I wish, in a million years that I could do that. I mean, wouldn't it make more sense to stop the cab for the busty blond, not some stripper. _Oh New York! I will never understand you_.

So here I am, at my desk, looking around the room. For the first time in a long time, I was 15 minutes later. I _can't _wait to see Laxus's reaction when he sees me here so early. A grin formed onto my face when I saw my boss come into the hallways.

"Laxus! Look. I'm early," I said as the grin widened.

"Yes, now pack your belongings," Laxus replied while keeping a straight face.

What the…You only say that when you're about to fire someone.

"You would never fire your best accountant," I raised an eyebrow, almost as if I was taunting him.

"I said pack your things. Then follow me," his stern voice filled the entire room. I saw at least ten heads turn back to look at me. Some of them pitying me. Others were happy, seeing as they could get the promotion that I had worked so hard for.

I swear, if I lose my job, I'll be screwed. Natsu had just lost his job so if both of us do… I shivered at the thought, fear completely filling me. There was no way things would be ok if both of us lost our jobs.

I guess the distress on my face was apparent because I heard Laxus let out a chuckle. "I just want to give you your own office, relax Lucy," and with that, I was able to breathe again. God damn it. What was with that crazy man! Scaring the living shit out of me.

I took the possessions on my desk and placed them into a box that Laxus brought for me. What a crazy man, enjoying the distress I was facing. Well that's Laxus for you. Big. Muscular. And a crazy sense of humor. That's probably why I love working here. He's not like most bosses. I mean, sure he's strict when he felt the need, but he has his moments where he's a complete awkward, fool.

Like that time I asked him if his spikes were naturally like that and I began playing with them. He like jumped away, like a kid who saw a cockroach. It was hilarious. You wouldn't think someone as huge as Laxus would be scared of getting his hair touched.

So here I was, packing my personal belongings into a box. He said I had to be ready within one hour, so I guess I was a little strained for time. Laxus said I had to fit everything into one box which was annoying, since I had a tendency to collect things. Call me a pack rat if you want.

So anyways, I packed everything up in a box and attempted to carry them towards the outside of the elevator, where Laxus was. Notice I say attempt because this thing weighs a whole lot.

So as I lifted this box towards the elevator, my lovely boss, instead of helping me out says, "You really need to work your arms more."

This caused me to give him a harsh glare but I didn't respond because he spoke again. "Cheer up, buttercup. You're getting your own office here. That's a big deal. Though, for the first few months you will be working out details for what financial approach we should take for the hotel. This means your partner from Fairy Tail corporation will be coming along..."

Somewhere along his speech, I tuned him out, and my thoughts instantly went to Gray. All I could think about was his sexy smirk and flirtatious antics. What the hell was wrong with me? I just met the guy and I'm fantasizing about him like there's no tomorrow. I have Natsu yet this fool invaded my thoughts.

That's right..._Natsu._ The hottest man in bed. He emits a heat that just makes you want to strip every article of clothing off. I love it when he's on top of me, kissing me furiously as he's pounding in and out of my-

"Did you hear me Lucy?" Laxus asked, as the elevator doors opened.

_Oh my god! How long have I been thinking about Natsu. _"Yeah, sure," I responded, playing it cool.

"You sure you're not thinking about your fiancé?" Laxus teased, a smirk forming on his face.

Dear Gods that watch over New York City, please tell me I didn't just said his name out loud. "Of course not! I was focusing on you, Laxus," I replied, as my poker face appeared onto my face.

"_Mmmm Natsu,"_ Laxus mocked.

"I did not say that out loud!" I squealed, a blush painting my face and erasing every attempt at a poker face I tried to keep on.

"Oh yes you did," Laxus chuckled as he walked outside the elevator.

_Time to change my approach_. "It's not my fault Natsu's hotter than fire."

Laxus raised an eyebrow, as I walked out and stood in front of him while placing my hands on my hips. "That's because you've never had a taste of lightning. Isn't Natsu the only ride you've ever taken?" he said, jokingly.

"T-t-that doesn't matter!" If my face wasn't completely painted red before, it sure in Time Square's name was now.

"No it doesn't," Laxus said as he took a halt. "Here's your office."

My eyes stared at the door, where my name was written on the outside. Reaching out to turn the doorknob, I opened the door and took a step inside, and my eyes widened and glee was plastered onto my face. It was gorgeous. What with the cream colored walls and the exuberant love seat that was located right in front of _my_ desk. Then right behind _my_ desk was a huge, poster sized picture of Natsu and I.

My arms were wrapped around his neck and his around my waist. My back was pressed against his chest while I rested my head onto his shoulders, looking up to make an eye contact. If my memory serves me correct, this was a picture from last year's Dreyar Enterprises beach party. I mean, I was wearing a bikini. Damn, we looked sexy.

Then on the wall in front of my desk was where all my degrees and diplomas were located along with..._2013 Employee of the year. _

"Wow..." I said quietly as I took a seat on _my_ desk. I placed my elbows onto _my _desk and had my hands meet up in the middle, where I rested my head.

"How can I help you, Mister Dreyar?" I asked, with a smile on my face.

"Your business partner from Fairy Tail Corporations will be coming in half an hour," and he was about to walk out until I called after him.

"Laxus! Thanks," I told him sincerely.

His hand ruffled my hair and his blue eyes met with mine. "Any time kiddo. You know you're like a baby sis' to me and honestly, you've worked hard these last two years for us. You deserve it. _BUT _don't you dare mess up. Chances are, you and the representative from Fairy Tail Corporations will be the lead accountants for Fairy Dreyar Hotel. This, all the numbers and financial decisions you two are making, it's your test."

Once the door to _**my**_ office closed, I let out a high pitched squeal. Honestly, this is amazing. Never in a million years did I expect all this when I first started working for Laxus. But here I was, staring at the beautiful office he made for me. It was incredible to see that all this was done for me. I received one of the biggest promotions and I might become a **_head_ **accountant. So really, how could I not be the happiest girl?

To think, thirty minutes passed so quickly because before I knew it, I heard the telephone in _my _office ring. I answered it and heard Mirajane tell me that my business partner was here so I said, bring him right in.

It felt so good to say that. I feel like such a boss!

And then, after a few minutes the door to my office opened and my eyes met up with Gray Fullbuster. We obviously knew we would be working together but I don't think that anyone knew that we knew.

"Why hello there stranger. Please, take a seat," I instructed him with a slight giggle.

"Don't mind if I do," he replied as he took a seat on the love seat.

"How may I help you?" I asked as if I didn't know the answer.

"Well I came here to see a beautiful woman, but I don't seem to see any. How unfortunate," Gray responded.

"Hey!" I yelled out, clearly offended by his insult.

"Oh, you're the beautiful woman I was supposed to meet," Gray chuckled, then ran his fingers through his spikes.

After a few minutes of our normal, mindless chatter, we decided to get down to business.

"Basically, the companies want to make a hotel that's on par with the Plaza," I confirmed with Gray, making sure we were exactly on the same page.

"Right, and it will take about 6 months to have it built. Expenses to make a twenty-five story hotel is..." Gray pressed a few keys on the computer on my desk, google searching his answer. "Holy crap. About one hundred million dollars."

"Yeah, Laxus already told me," Lucy said as she wrote down the price. "He also expects to make that money back in a year. If we check prices for a night at the Plaza we come across three different values. The prices for a regular room, a deluxe, and a suit. Then there's the pent house which would be a hell of a lot," I responded, writing the main points of what I just said down on the paper.

"So, according to Expedia, the prices for the Plaza's regular rooms are a little under $800 a night. The deluxe is about $850. Then there are the suits, which can go for well over one thousand dollars," Gray responded, his eyes glued onto the computer screen.

"The one thing I've experienced when I stayed at the Plaza for a night is horrible service. Everyone there is a bitch," I exclaimed, hating the memory. The little bitch that worked there treated me almost like I was some sort of underling.

"So, to make Fairy Dreyar the best five star hotel in all of New York, we must do two things. One, we _must_ have the best service," Gray began. I already knew what the second point was before he said it. "And two, we must make sure the prices are cheaper than the Plaza. It's all about giving them major competition."

"So, if we make our regular rooms about $750 and the deluxe at $800 we should be good, right?" I asked Gray, looking at him for his approval.

"Ummm..." Gray began as he popped a calculator out of the desk. "We have 25 floors, assuming each floor has fifteen rooms, we can designate five of them to suits. The entire top floor is a pent house. So, we Have 24 floors of ten rooms, five can be deluxe and five are regular."

"Multiplying $750 by five, then by 24 we get $90,000. Then we Multiply $800 by five and then by 24 to get $96,000. _Now, _for the suites. Let's multiply 1000 by 5 by 24 and we get 120,000. Finally, pricing the pent house, We can charge about $2000 per night and have two set up on the top floor. So this would be the daily profit assuming all the rooms are occupied," he paused.

I continued off where he paused, "So, let's add those values up and multiply them by 365 days. $113,150,000. Technically, we would make our money in a year, but that doesn't take into account all the expenses. I would give about $10,000,000 a year for that. We also haven't taken into consideration about what would happen if every single room _wasn't_ occupied. The hotel has no reputation so chances are, it won't have a full house _every **single **_night," I rationalized out loud.

"So really, what we would have to do is advertise," Gray responded as he tapped his forehead.

"Correct. But the money we spend advertising would mean that, we would not make our money in a year's time span," I responded with a frown.

"Shit," Gray cursed. "You're right."

"That means we have two choices. One, we don't have our higher end finishes on the hotel, or two, we re-evaluate the costs of each hotel room per night."

"I couldn't help but agree with you," Gray responded, "but-"

Before he could finish his sentence he was cut off by the sound of a monster battering inside my stomach. A blush rushed to my cheeks and I felt so embarrassed.

"Can we get lunch?" I asked, as the blush remained glued on my cheeks.

Gray chuckled, "Sure thing. It's 2:00 so we might as well."

We walked out of my office, where I locked the door. Something I deemed wise, just in case our papers decided to take a little walk to God knows where. So we walked down the towards the elevator and I pressed the button to take us down to the ground floor. It was about four floors down, but it was enough for Gray to well...

He raised an eyebrow and came dangerously close to me, just as his shirt disappeared. I swear, staring at his abs _always_ makes my heart skip a beat. It was quite a sight.

"Enjoying the view?" He asked, realizing my eyes never came off him.

"Please get dressed. Laxus will get _very_ angry," I warned him.

"Yeah, yeah," Gray replied as his shirt was back onto his body although he kept the first few buttons undone. I swear, he is absolutely gorgeous. A sexy devil. Though, Natsu is still **_way_ **hotter.

We reached down to the lobby, and my eyes met with Mira, leaning forward in her seat, twirling her hair between her fingers and in front of her was Laxus, genuinely smiling and a shade of pink. **WOAH**.

Normally, I would ask Mira if she wanted anything, but this time, I ruled against it. She seemed to be enjoying Laxus all too much.

"Are they dating?" Gray asked me, after quickly observing the sight I took hundreds of mental pictures of.

"No...not yet," I responded with a smirk.

"So there's this really nice cafe just across the street. You've been there before?" Gray asked me, once we stepped outside the building.

"No, but-" But I was cut myself off the moment my eyes met up with _him._ "Natsu?"

* * *

_...The way you look at me, it's just not right..._

* * *

**_Sexy love! Oh the things you do. Keep me Sprung, Keep me running back to you!_- Oh...this isn't karaoke. Whoopse!**

**Well the point of this chapter was to show a bit of an intellectual connection. As for the price of the Plaza New York, I googled that. And the price to build a five star hotel, so...yeah. The rest of the numbers were out of my ass. **

**Did anyone like the hint of MirAxus? I really ship LaxAna, but I thought, what the heck! Might as well!**


	5. Chapter 4: Honestly

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

**Hey all! Here's the newest chapter and I must confess, I had oh so much fun writing it. It was...honest I would say.**

**I really hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

**And a HUGE HUGE HUGE special thanks to _leoslady4ever_! She is Ah-May-Zing!**

**Thanks for reading, reviewing, following, and reading. It means so much to me and I love you to the moon and back!**

**xoxox xxSaphireBluexx**

* * *

_...I can tell whats going on this time..._

* * *

**Chapter 4: Honestly...**

* * *

But he didn't look angry at the fact that I was with Gray. Rather, he had his normal toothy grin glued onto his lips and for some strange reason, relief began to fill me. I couldn't even understand why. It wasn't like I was cheating on Natsu or doing something wrong, right?

"H-hi Natsu." Why the hell was I stuttering?

"Luce!" He let out a childish cheer as his arms wrapped around me. And that action felt like he was claiming his territory in front of Gray. Instantaneously, I felt my arms wrap around him, holding him tightly.

Once we pulled away, I looked towards Gray, who awkwardly stood there. I guess an introduction is due.

"Natsu, this is my new business partner, Gray Fullbuster. Gray, this is my fiancé, Natsu."

I mean, that should make Gray feel a bit less awkward, right? He held his hand out for Natsu to shake, as they exchanged a glance. Some sort of silent challenge maybe?

Natsu's hand held mine and began dragging me off as I put up a protest.

"Natsu! We were going to eat lunch," I replied, my eyes widened as I turned back to Gray who sent a smirk in my direction as he mouthed, 'Eat without me.'

"Oh I'll be eating alright," Natsu whispered huskily into my ear, causing a shiver to rush down my spine. Damn was that sexy. Oh the naughty things I would do to this man.

"I'll see you in an hour," I said slightly breathlessly. And I swear from my peripheral vision, I saw him chuckle and wave.

Maybe Gray was walking in the opposite direction or maybe it was Natsu dragging me off somewhere. I'm not quite sure how, but Gray ended up becoming too far to see and I found the confidence to smash my lips overtop of Natsu's, locking us in sinful passion.

My heart was slamming into my chest when I felt Natsu push me off somewhere, lips still touching. If the sexual attraction amongst us wasn't obvious before, it sure in Liberty's name was now. I mean, here we were, making out in the heart of the city.

Suddenly, I felt my head slam onto a wall, and although it was a rough action on Natsu's behalf, I didn't care. All I cared about was getting a taste of his mouth and claiming the domination I hardly ever get.

Thrusting my tongue forward, I had a taste of nachos mixed with…I pulled away, saying out loud.

"Vodka?" I gave him a quizzical look. Had Natsu been drinking?

You would expect him to just be giving me a friendly visit after looking for a job. How didn't I realize before that he was drinking? Looking at him now, it was beyond obvious, especially considering the fact that he could hardly stand upright.

"I was at the bar with Lis'," Natsu responded honestly.

At least he wasn't lying…right? I mean, that's excusable, isn't it?

But here I was, working my ass off, trying to do a great job at work so that rent and regular bills could be paid. It was all on me since Natsu didn't have a job. It was beyond selfish that, instead of helping me out with what I had to do, Natsu was just out drinking.

Where the fuck did he find the money to buy some sort of drink at some kind of bar almost every day?

And I felt him try to pull me back into a kiss, but I pulled away. Then looked around, taking in my surroundings.

An alleyway?

Sure I didn't mind alleyway sex, as long as it wasn't daytime. I mean, it would be beyond embarrassing if someone were to catch us.

"Shouldn't you be looking for a job?" I finally asked him.

"I was going to after this," he said, attempting to draw me closer again.

Stepping back I said, "No one would hire you if you've been drinking. Do you know how unprofessional that looks?"

I started to walk away from the alleyway in case Natsu tried to…I guess I was taking precautions.

"Luce, come on! Don't be like that," he was whining.

I turned back to glare at him, with eyes full of anger, "You need to find a job, Natsu. I can't keep paying for everything on my own."

"I'm trying!" He yelled out. I could have sworn, I saw a few heads turn back. Does Natsu have any idea how embarrassing this is?

"No, you're not." I simply stated with an expressionless face.

I started to walk off, leaving my fiancé there to figure out what he did wrong. Aside from the fact that he'd just tried to have drunk sex with me, Natsu wasn't even trying to find work. He was just leaving me with all the stress of paying the bills.

He didn't really _deserve_ to have a good time!

I know I shouldn't use sex as a threat, but honestly, if Natsu keeps up these 'I'm going to drink with Lisanna then come to you' games, then I might actually stop giving him what he wants.

He shouldn't have it.

It's beyond ridiculous to just drink all day and have sex all night.

He needs to find something to do.

What he needs to do is go out. Find an employer. Hand them his resume. Get called in for an interview. And become hired.

Simple, right?

Well not for Natsu, it isn't. I don't think he's even trying to get a new job. That's why he hasn't found one, obviously.

Or maybe it was the fact that he was always with his beloved Lisanna. And normally I would be cool with it except for the fact that he had a hard on right after hanging out with her. Did the girl _arouse_ him so much that he needed to use me to have alleyway sex?

I felt beyond infuriated thinking about it, but I needed to calm down. My break ended in less than an hour and there was no way I would be able to do anything feeling like this.

_ Breath. In. Out._

_ Take a few steps. Walk away._

_Keep breathing._

_Relax Lucy. _

_Relax. _

My mind was taking it's relaxation techniques in a desperate attempt to make my frustration disappear.

And after all that breathing and walking, I found myself back outside the office of Dreyar Enterprises. Taking out my phone, I started dialing a number.

"Hello?" I heard the person say.

"Hey, um…where are you?" I asked, somewhat embarrassed. I mean, literally 20 minutes ago I brushed him off and now, here I am trying to hang out. But I needed to. I was in dire need of calming down.

"Trois Riveres Café," He responded.

"Where's that?" I asked, feeling somewhat like an idiot.

Then, I heard him sigh. "Where are you? I'll pick you up."

So I told him I was outside the office and within a minute, my eyes met up with the raven hair of Gray.

"Hey," I said awkwardly upon seeing him. I mean, I didn't feel as weird on the phone as I did now because well, I could see the smirk ruling his face and I knew, I just knew he was going to ask-

"So why aren't you with Pinky?"

Great, I was right.

So I sighed saying, "Long story. Can we just eat?" And perhaps it was because of my frown that he didn't ask more, although I wish he did.

I wanted to talk about what happened because honestly, I was upset. Stressed. And just plain annoyed.

But that would be selfish, wouldn't it? Hoping another man would ask what's wrong so I could open up to him. It wouldn't be right or fair, but still. I so desperately wanted to talk about it.

The fact that Natsu hasn't been trying to find a job seriously stresses the fuck out of me.

"Coming?" He asked, staring back at me, breaking me free from my thoughts.

"Y-yeah," I stuttered, following him to wherever this café was. After a few random turns, we were in a secluded area in New York.

Who knew that places like this existed in the heart of the city?

Then, he opened a door and my eyes lighted on with an elderly woman.

"Oh, Gray! You came back? And you're bringing a girl? It's your first time bringing anyone here," she replied.

Don't ask why, but I've always found elderly women to be the cutest. I wasn't much of a kid person, but when it came to old women, I wanted to pinch their cheeks. Call me weird, but it's a Lucy thing.

"Yes, Agatha, I brought a friend. Lucy. Anyways, can you bring another one of my usual to the table?" He asked the woman who I assumed was named Agatha with an ever so polite tone.

We walked down the café, and I had to admit, it was beautiful. Aside from the beautifully painted quotes on the wall, the café had a garden theme. So on the walls there were really gorgeous trees and leaves painted along with the occasional rose. On top of each table, there was an adorable little turtle and mushroom. The store owner, I will assume Agatha, put a lot of effort into the little things of this place. And it sure paid off. It was stunning.

Finally, I noticed Gray pull out a chair that was in front of a table, where a rose was painted beside.

"Take a seat," he motioned to the chair.

"S-sure."

If I didn't know better, I would think we were on a date. Honestly, Gray is incredibly sweet to be going out of his way to make me feel welcome. It made him the ideal boyfriend…

**What the hell am I thinking?**

I can answer that.

Gray is hot.

He seems sweet.

He's a gentleman.

He's great at getting cabs.

He's a flirt.

Somewhat cocky.

Most importantly, I wanted to open up to him. I wanted to talk to him about what's been going on with Natsu. Get some advice and comfort.

Sure, it was wrong and probably selfish, but I needed someone who was outside our normal group of friends.

"Are you ok?" he asked almost as if on cue.

"You keep spacing out," he added.

"Yes," I lied with a sad tone, then rolled my eyes at my horrible attempt at lying.

"Ok, no." I said honestly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I loved the fact that he wasn't forcing someone he had just met to tell her life story to him. During that second, it clicked. I had just met Gray and for some incredibly strange reason, I wanted to tell him everything about my life.

What does that make me? Weak. Vulnerable. Possibly naïve for trusting him.

I really shouldn't throw Natsu under the bus the way I wanted to. He was my fiance and it was beyond unfair to him.

"I do, _but_ I don't think I should."

I felt like my words were begging him to ask and pry. It was like I was desperate for Gray to ask just so I could selfishly tell him everything.

"Then I won't make you." He gave me an assuring smile.

Those words right there. Those words told me that I needed someone like Gray. Someone who cared, but knew when to butt out. Someone who would know what to say and how to say it, but wouldn't unless they were asked.

The way he was: everything down to the way he ran his fingers through his hair, made me believe that had I been single, I could very easily fall for the man in front of me. Had I not been head over heels for Natsu, I would become vulnerable to Gray.

I knew it for a fact. I wasn't sure what it was about him, but I just **_knew_** that Gray was everything a girl could need…and _more_.

It was almost dangerous for me to be so close to him. I knew that. But I had to. I had to be near Gray. For my promotion, I had no choice but to be associated with Gray.

So now, instead of being all harsh on Natsu I would be honest with him. I shouldn't take away his pleasure from him. That was plain juvenile. I regretted even thinking that. Natsu needed a friend right now and I was being a plain bitch to him. I had to stop.

Not just for the sake of Natsu, but for the sake of our relationship. Because if I kept up with my attitude, then Natsu would eventually fight back and that would only push me away to another's arms.

**_And who else could it be, but Gray?_**

* * *

_...Theres a stranger in my life..._

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**Hope you liked it!**


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